Bus-line connecter



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,658,945

s. B. SCHENCK BUS LINE CONNECTER Filed June 5, 1922 Fig. I.

Fig.2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Samuel B. Sahemk.

W I BY AT'I ORNEY Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL B. SCHENCK, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELEC'IRIQ &: MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

BUS-LIN E CONNECTER.

Application filed June 5, 1922. Serial No. 566,196.

My invention relates to bus-line connecters for trains, more especiallyto a. device for connecting up the power line between cars in anelectrical railway train.

It is amongthe objects of this invention to provide an improved type ofconnector which utilizes the power drawn therethrough to securely lockthe connecting parts and to provide an eflicient electrical connectiontherebetween.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of theabove-designated type which shall be of simple compact structure,inexpensive to manufacture and adapted for application to generalbus-line conneeters on railway cars.

Various means of securing bus-line connecters have been devised andgenerally comprise mechanical latching devices for securing the jumperheads in their sockets. Frequently, trouble occurs from the connecter 0rjumper head coming loose in its socket and, when power is drawn throughthe contacts, the loose joint causes arcing and severe burning of thecontact members.

My present invention is designed to pro vide a magnetic device utilizingthe power drawn through the connecter to attract the jumper head andsecurely hold it in its receptacle or socket, thereby preventingbreaking of the contact therebetween.

In the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof and in which likereference characters designate like parts,

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a busline connector embodying theprinciples of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, partially in elevation, of the deviceshown in Fig. 1, with the jumper head or plunger separated from thesocket connection.

As shown in the Fig. 1, the device consists of a hollow cylinder 1provided with a mounting bracket 2 which is secured to the end of arailway car in alignment with a similar device on another car, theirrespective positions being located from the coupler heads. One end ofthe cylinder 1 is provided with a flange 3 on which a disc shaped cover4 is mounted and secured by bolts 5. The cylinder 1 is adapted toreceive a jumper head or plunger 6 havin an extension 7 on one endthereof which is provided with a. constricted opening 8 adapted toreceive a cured to the cable 9, is disposed in the bushing 13 andconstitutes one side of the busline connection.

The jumper head or plunger 6 is insulated from the cylinder 1 by aninsulating bushim 15 of suitable, preferably fibrous, materia and ahardened binder of the well-known phenolic-condensation-product typewhich is secured thereto in a suitable manner, as by a press fit. Aniron core 16, having a central opening 17 extending therethrough, is

mounted on an insulating base 18 which is provided with a centralopening 19, and an insulating spacer 20 having an opening 21 is disposedon the other end thereof.

Another iron block 22 is secured between the insulating base 18 andcover 4 in align ment with the core member 16, and a conductor 23 havingan enlarged end 24 is disposed in the contact terminal 14 and isprojected through the openings 19 and 21 of the insulators 18 and 20,respectively. The other end of the conductor 23 is wound around the core16 to form a coil 25 and is then inserted through the insulating base 18and an opening 26 provided in the cover 4: to establish the otherbus-line connection.

My device operates briefly as follows: The jumper head 6 is plugged intothe cylinder 1 until it rests against the insulating spacer 20, causingthe terminal 24: of the conductor 23 to make contact with the bus-lineterminal 13, as illustrated in the Fig. l. lVhen the circuit isenergized, the current will flow through the coil 25, causing a magneticfield to be established in the iron core 16, block 22, cover 4 a portionof the cylinder 1 and the contacting end of the plunger 6, thus causingstrong magnetic attraction on the jumper head to hold it firmly againstthe spacer 20.

The strength of the magnet varies with the amount of current passingthrough the conductor so that, when the mechanism is subjected to thegreatest strain, the magnet will be at its greatest capacity.

It will be readily understood from the above description of my inventionthat a connecter device formed 1naccordance therewith provides amechanically simple and electrically etiieient connection which is easyto manipulate and may be readily mounted upon any accessible part of thecar unit.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may bemade in the details of construction.. For instance, the jumper head orplunger may be of any suitable shape designed to facilitate forming ofthe busline connection and the arrangement of the contact terminal andthe magnet may be of a suitable design to accommodate the size of wireor cable mounted thereon and to obtain the capacity required. Thegeneral design of the housing and mounting bracket may be modified toadapt them for specific application. These and other changes may be madein the details of construction with out departing from the principlesherein set forth.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bus-line connecter comprising a hollow cylinder having a mountingbracket formed integrally therewith and adapted to receive a plungerhaving an insulating bushing disposed therearound, a terminal bushingadapted to secure a bus-line on one end and a contact member on theother centrally disposed in said plunger and magnetic means for securingsaid plunger in said cylinder, said means comprising a solenoid securedto said cylinder and insulated therefrom and having one of its leadssecured in said terminal bushing.

2. A bus-line eonnecter comprising a hollow cylinder provided with amounting bracket which is adapted to receive a plunger, an insulatingbushing disposed around said plunger, a terminal bushing centrallydisposed therein, a bus-line terminal provided with a recess which isadapted to receive a terminal head secured in said bushing, an iron corecentrally disposed in one end of said cylinder and secured therein by aninsulating spacing disc, a coil Wound on said core, one end of which isdisposed in said terminal and an insulating spacer disposed between saidplunger and core.

3. A busl1ne connector comprising a hollow body member, a contact membermounted in said body member, a plunger. a second contact member attachedto the plunger and adapted to co-operate with the first named contactmember, and an clectromagnet mounted in the body member and adapted tosecure the plunger in the body member.

4. A bus-line connecter comprising a. hollow body member, a contactmember mounted in said body member, a plunger. a second contact memberattached to the plunger and adapted to cooperate with the firstnamedcontact member, and an electromagnetmounted in the body member andadapted to secure the plunger in the body member, said electromagnethaving one of its leads secured to said first named contact- SAMUEL B.SCHENCK

